Hotels & Restaurants in Kennebunkport

KRC today features eight boutique hotels and resorts, six innovative restaurants and several distinctive meeting and catering venues in Kennebunkport and the lower village of Kennebunk. KRC is the result of the visions and efforts of five local entrepreneurs over the past eight years.

In 2005, Tim Harrington moved from his commercial and residential real estate development background into the hospitality business with the purchase and renovation of the Cottages at Cabot Cove. Following critical acclaim and national media attention, Tim purchased 60 acres of forest near Goose Rocks Beach in order to play out some of the same themes as Cabot Cove on a much larger canvas. In 2007, with Marc and Kris Granetz as his financial partners, he developed what has become Hidden Pond, a unique cottage resort. The first part of the development, the cottages, opened in 2008.

Shortly after the opening of Hidden Pond, Tim met Deb Lennon. Deb had owned and operated the Kennebunkport Inn since 2000. They discussed forming a unique partnership in which Deb would be the daily operator and Tim would be the creative director. In 2009, they agreed they would combine their properties and set out to purchase other area properties to renovate in order to bring a vibrant and fresh approach to hospitality in the Kennebunks. They began to make inroads into their vision by purchasing and renovating the Old Fort Inn and made plans to build the Grand Hotel in Lower Village.

In 2010 Tim, Deb, Marc and Kris purchased The Tides Inn by the Sea on Goose Rocks Beach. They renovated the property and by the summer of 2011, The Tides Beach Club and restaurant opened. 2011 was a very busy time, as the second part of Hidden Pond, the bungalows, along with restaurant Earth, and Tree Spa were also opened. Marc and Kris then joined Tim and Deb as partners in KRC, and together they completed the Grand Hotel and purchased and renovated what is opening mid- summer 2013 as The Lodge on the Cove.

Meanwhile, Michael Shea had purchased the Cape Arundel Inn, The Landing Hotel and Restaurant and Grissini’s restaurant, all local landmarks. In 2011, he began to make renovations to the Cape Arundel Inn and began a two-year re-building process on the site of The Landing Restaurant. Late in the fall of 2012, Michael and Tim began to discuss their shared vision for their properties and began to see how a combination would be beneficial to both companies. In the winter of 2013, Michael joined forces with Tim, Deb, Marc and Kris and became the fifth partner in KRC.

Together the partners opened several new properties in the summer of 2013. The Boathouse Waterfront Hotel and within it restaurant David’s KPT, in partnership with acclaimed chef and restaurateur David Turin, is located on the Kennebunk River waterfront. They also renovated the restaurant at the Cape Arundel Inn and name it “Ocean” for its fabulous views of the Atlantic.

In 2014, the Cape Arundel Inn and Old Fort Inn merged to become the Cape Arundel Inn & Resort, offering guests an elegant stay experience between its two locales.

Each KRC property is unique in design, style and personality. All carry the vision and high expectations of the five partners who are dedicated to bringing casual, classy and chic lodging, exceptional recreation and world class dining to the Kennebunks. We hope you will enjoy the KRC experience.